Region 2 villages boosted with solar-powered grids 

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips on Wednesday commissioned two solar mini-photovoltaic (PV) grids in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) to benefit the communities of Wakapau on the west bank of the Pomeroon River and St Monica Karawab on the eastern bank of the Upper Pomeroon River.
The 35kWp grid in Wakapau has a 105.57kWh battery energy storage system and a transmission line.
Executed by the Guyana Energy Agency, the $32.9 million project will supply electricity to 15 facilities within the village, including a school, the health centre, and the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hub, thereby providing residents with clean, reliable energy.
During its commissioning, Prime Minister Phillips reiterated the Government’s commitment to staying connected to communities and fostering development in various sectors.
“We won the election and formed the Government in August 2020, and since then, we’ve been working overtime bringing development, implementing projects and programmes in every community through the length and breadth of Guyana. As far as we are concerned, no community must be left behind,” Phillips said.
He also informed Wakapau residents of ongoing initiatives in the region, such as the bed and drain projects and fertiliser assistance for farmers as well as the Solar Home Systems Project.
The latter is set to benefit 30,000 households in hinterland, rural and riverine communities through the provision of solar panels, two fluorescent lights, a fan and electrical sockets.
During the commissioning ceremony, Mignon Bowen-Phillips, who also accompanied the Prime Minister to the Region Two community, presented educational materials on solar and clean energy to the community.
Meanwhile, the solar mini-PV grid in St Monica Karawab Village has an 83.05 kWh battery and is being implemented at a cost of more than $30.5 million.
This grid seeks to provide electricity to 12 Government facilities including schools, the health facility and the ICT hub.
During this commissioning ceremony, the Prime Minister encouraged the residents to utilise the new resource responsibly.
He further highlighted upcoming projects under the 2024 Budget that are expected to enhance drainage and irrigation for farmers, including the provision of pontoons and excavators.
Residents also raised concerns on various issues, including infrastructure development, education, employment opportunities, land titling and demarcations to which Phillips pledged to provide immediate and long-term solutions through collaboration with regional and local Government authorities.
Last Sunday, the Prime Minister had similarly commissioned two solar mini-PV farms for the Indigenous communities of Tapakuma Village and Capoey Mission on the Essequibo Coast.
During this engagement, he noted that these projects demonstrate the Government’s dedication to equitable development for all Guyanese through the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources – a shift that aligns with the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030.